Switch-card receiver



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v aw Aflornqyq INVENTOR Zena Gale-5 Gzw/z WITNESSES M 2 THE uonms PET No. 626,534. Patented June 6, I899. L. G. GIVEN.

SWITCH CARD RECEIVER.

(Application filed. Aug. 5, 189B.) (No Model.) 2 SheetsSheet 2.

WITNESSES INVENTOR I W Li): wen. W W 9 26% S Attorneys.

UNiTnn STATES PATENT UFFICE.

LENA GATES GIVEN, OF MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T0 LA FAYETTE I. COCK, OF JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI.

SWITCH-CARD RECEIVER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 626,534, dated June 6, 1899.

Application filed August 5, 1898.

T0 at z'uhont it may concern:

Be it known that I, LENA GATES GIVEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby and State of Tennessee,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Switch-Card Receivers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to switch-card holders for railway-cars and it consists of the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

The object of the invention is to facilitate the application of switch-cards to the sides of cars and hold them in such manner that the instructive indications thereon may be readily discerned and also provide for'easily removing the card and substituting another therefor without requiring manipulation of looks or catches or complex mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a car, showing the improved device applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the improved device on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the improved device, showing one of the keepers drawn outwardly to illustrate the mode of operation. Fig. 4 is asection on the line a: 00, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is adctail perspective View of one of the keepers. Fig. 6 is a detail view of one of the fastening devices.

Referring to the drawings, wherein similar numerals are employed to indicate corresponding parts of the several views, the numeral 1 designates a support, preferably of wood, which is applied to the side of acar, as shown by Fig. 1, and carries on its outer face theimproved switch-card holder. If desired, however, the support 1 may be dispensed with and the parts of the holder attached directly to the car-body.

The holder comprises oppositely-situated keepers 2 and 3, which are independent and are preferably constructed of a single piece of stiff spring-wire. Each keeper in the present instance consists of a substantially rectangular body 1, though the contour may be varied without affecting the operation of the Serial No. 687,806. (No model.)

but also provide eyes for the reception of ful- A crum-fastenings 11, one of which is clearly shown in Fig. 6. The said fastenings consist of upper bearing-bars 12, which pass through the coils 8, having at opposite portions loops 13, from which extend depending legs 14, which are adapted to be driven into the support 1. The loops 13 are formed after the insertion of the bar 12in the coils 8, and the legs are also formed subsequent to the bending of the said loops. Vhile this form of fastening is preferred, as the loops prevent the keepers from having lateral movement, it will be understood that any staple or equivalent device with opposite side projections can be equally well used. As clearly shown in Fig. 4:, at points opposite the pins or spurs 7 the support lhas recesses 15 formed therein, which provide seats to receive the said pins or spurs.

The greatest outward projection of the keepers occurs at the points where the coils S are formed, and the keepers 2 and resisting-- arms 9 extend inward at a slight gradual angle of inclination. The resisting-arms 9 have the bearing-coils 10 at their terminations continuously in contact with the support 1, and by the formation of the said coils 10 the arms are strengthened and a greater resistance is offered, as well as establishing a resiliency to the said arms, which is also in part contributed by the coils 8.

In operation and to apply the switch-card 16 the keepers are drawn outwardly by grasping the finger-loops 6 and clearing the pins or spurs 7 from the recesses 15 and the adjacent surface of the support sufficiently to permit the card to be applied in proper position. After the card is in position the keepers are permitted to fiy back and the pins or spurs 7 puncture the card and resume their normal positions in recesses 15. By the use of the pins or spurs 7 the card is prevented fromv slipping out of place or being moved by the jar or jolt of the car to which it is applied, though in some instances the pressure-rods 5 might be alone used. The card is removed by pulling the keepers outwardly, and by the use of this device the trouble and inconvenience, as well as the unsightly appearance, incident to the use of fastening-tacks are Wholly avoided, and the simplicity of the device as an entirety reduces its cost of manufacture to a minimum.

'When the keepers are drawn outwardly in applying or removing the card, the resistingarIns 9 have their bearing ends pressed against thesupport and tend to limit or resist the outward pull and prevent breakage or straining of the several parts. The strain, however, that is brought to bear on the arms themselves is relieved by the coils 8 and 10 and cushion the same to a greater or less degree and obviate the tendency to fracture.

Having thus described the inventi0n,what is claimed as new is- A device of the character set forth eompris= ing a pair of oppositely situated independent jections bearing against the outer and inner ends of the said latter coils to prevent the body from springing or bending inwardly.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LENA GATES GIVEN.

Witnesses:

N. B. JOHNSTON, WM. B. GATES. 

